Areas of Focus
Group health
we are committed to health insurance for both our commercial customers, who need group coverage for their employees, as well as the individual or family that needs coverage. With the changing face of health insurance in today’s market, we are staying abreast of the latest developments that will affect the coverage you expect as well as the cost impact upon you. We have the best health insurance markets available in our area, and we will always present to our customers the best options at the best price available.
Dental Insurance
Dental Insurance is one of the benefits most requested by employees. Many employers provide dental insurance for their employees, but a growing number of employers are offering this as a voluntary benefit that is paid 100% by the employee through payroll deductions. Most dental plans provide full coverage with a 100% benefit for preventive exams & cleanings, an 80% benefit for basic services such as fillings and root canals, and 50% benefit for major services and prosthodontics such as dentures, crowns, etc. Some dental insurance companies provide a dental buy-up plan which allows the employer to purchase a base plan, while employees purchase additional benefits as needed. Another newer option for dental insurance is a dual option plan that allows each employee to choose a basic plan or a more comprehensive plan based on his needs. This is a voluntary benefit, which means that each employee gets the coverage he needs for himself and his family.
Long-Term Care
Long-Term Care is the type of care received either at home or in a facility, when someone needs assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing and dressing due to an accident, an illness or advancing age. Rising life expectancy means that the potential need for “long-term care” grows with every passing year of your life. The likelihood is that you or a member of your family will need long-term assistance due to a prolonged illness, a disability, or general deterioration of your health and ability to perform routine daily activities. Most long term care expenses are not covered by Social Security or Medicare, Medicare Supplement (“Medigap”), or private health insurance. Medicaid pays for nearly half of all nursing home care, but you must meet federal poverty guidelines and may have to “spend down” most of your assets on health care.
Group Life
Life insurance is an integral part of most employee benefits packages. When provided by an employer, employees appreciate the value of life coverage and the additional security it provides to their families. Employers have a wide variety of optional plan designs to customize a Group Life plan. Optional coverages include Voluntary Life insurance, Supplemental Life coverage, Accidental Death and Dismemberment policies, and Dependent Life insurance. The premium paid for Group Life is generally a business deduction, and this stand-alone contract is usually less expensive than the life coverage provided with medical insurance.
Flexible Spending Accounts
Employer-sponsored flexible spending accounts (FSAs) are benefit plan arrangements that allow employees to pay for certain health care or dependent care expenses on a pre-tax basis. There are two FSA options. A Health Care FSA is an alternate way of paying your share of your health care costs. In the same manner, a Dependent/Child Care FSA reimburses you for expenses for dependents and childcare which are necessary to allow you and your spouse to work.
Long-term Disability
In the event that an accident or illness prevents an employee from working for an extended period of time, the financial impact can be severe for the employee and employers. Long Term Disability (LTD) protection is designed to help cover the employee’s expenses while their regular income is interrupted. Flexible plan design options and benefit alternatives are available to meet specific needs. This valuable protection is available with low-cost, tax-deductible premiums.
Key Person Coverage
Your key employees are your most valuable business asset. Their skill, knowledge and experience are your real profit makers. Without them, the success and growth of your business could be in jeopardy. Key employee insurance is designed to protect your business from the adversities associated with the loss of a key employee, manager or executive. The death or disability of a key employee could result in a substantial financial loss due to hiring and training a replacement, lost sales, and/or slowed production.
Group Vision
A Group Vision plan is especially attractive for employers because it is inexpensive to offer, yet it’s another employee favorite. This is a separate plan that provides coverage for eye exams and/or for frames, lenses and contact lenses. Many times the basic health plan may provide for routine eye examinations. However, it will usually not provide any benefit for frames, lenses or contact lenses; this is where a separate group vision benefit would be used.
Health Savings Accounts
A Health Savings Account (HSA) helps you save money on health care. By making you a part of the medical services decision process, HSAs are designed to help you manage medical expenses and reduce the continuing raising of health care expenses. Equally as important, the money you save remains part of your retirement account, even if you leave your present employer. You can also save the money in your account and grow your account through investment earnings. Funds in the account can grow tax-free through investment earnings, just like an IRA In short, if you don’t use all the money in your HSA for medical expenses, it can accumulate as tax-free savings for your retirement. One final benefit, HSAs can pay for many more procedures than were ever allowed before by government sponsored programs. Health Savings Accounts help you save money on unavoidable expenses and build investment savings for your retirement.
Short-Term Disability
A steady income is essential for most people. If an accident or illness interrupts that income, it affects both the employee and employer. Short Term Disability (STD) protection is designed to replace a portion of the wages lost when a short term disability occurs. An affordable, flexible STD plan can provide needed benefits to both the employer and employee.
Buy/Sell Protection
If you have a partner in business, you have a need for insurance so that in the event of death or disability, you can buy out your partner’s interest without having to take out a loan or liquidate company assets. This is also important where children and taxes are involved